April 8, 2016
Final Stats
UCF v. Tulsa (4/8/16) - Images by UCF Knights
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - Up until the fifth inning, UCF Softball was locked in a pitcher's duel with Tulsa at the UCF Softball Complex. The Knights broke through with a run in the fifth and pushed three runs across in the sixth to claim a 4-1 victory in the American Athletic Conference series opener on Friday evening.
"We knew that (Tulsa) would (have) solid hitters," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "We were just preparing as best we could for them. Their pitchers are very solid."
UCF (25-14, 2-0 The American) out-hit the Golden Hurricane, 7-4. Freshman Cassady Brewer and junior Linnea Goodman each collected a pair of hits. Senior Shelby Turnier went the distance for the Knights in the circle with seven strikeouts.
Solid Shelby
? Shelby Turnier tossed her 14th complete game of the season, fanning seven batters while allowing just four hits.
? The Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., native collected her 12th win of the season. She is now tied with former UCF ace Allison Kime with 71 career wins. Turnier is seven wins away from Mackenzie Audas' UCF Softball record of 78 wins.
? Turnier struck out at least one batter in all but one inning, and collected the final out of the game with a strikeout.
Turnier on Tulsa: "I knew it was going to be a close game. We always play a good game against Tulsa. I knew that I just had to keep their hitters off balance and that my hitters would come through eventually."
Finally In The Fifth
? The Knights had chances early to take the lead, but stranded a pair of runners in the second inning and left the bases loaded in the fourth.
? With one out in the fifth, a single from Linnea Goodman and a Tulsa fielding error gave the Knights base runners. Senior Jessica Ujvari drew a two-out walk to load the bases and bring Cassady Brewer to the plate.
? Brewer worked a 2-1 count before sending one just over the head of the third baseman, allowing Goodman to score and the Knights to take a 1-0 lead.
? The Knights used a three-run sixth inning to extend their lead far enough that Tulsa was unable to close the gap. The Golden Hurricane scored in the top of the seventh to avoid the shutout, but came up short in their rally.
Next up
The Knights continue the series with Tulsa on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Military and First Responders Appreciation Day. The first 150 fans will received a t-shirt, and seniors Kalyn Cenal and Kirsten Foster's Senior Knights trading cards will be available before the game.
Story by Megan Herboth; Video by Erica Fox; Photos by Brad Helton